What Price Hollywood?
| What Price Hollywood? | |
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Theater window card
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| Directed by | George Cukor |
| Produced by |
Pandro S. Berman David O. Selznick |
| Screenplay by |
Gene Fowler Rowland Brown Ben Markson Jane Murfin |
| Story by |
Adela Rogers St. Johns Louis Stevens |
| Starring |
Constance Bennett Lowell Sherman |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Cinematography | Charles Rosher |
| Edited by |
Del Andrews Jack Kitchin |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | RKO-Pathé Distributing Corp. |
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Release date
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Running time
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88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $416,000 |
| Box office | $571,000 |
What Price Hollywood? is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett with Lowell Sherman. The screenplay by Gene Fowler, Rowland Brown, Ben Markson, and Jane Murfin is based on a story by Adela Rogers St. Johns and Louis Stevens.
Brown Derby waitress Mary Evans (Constance Bennett) is an aspiring actress who has an opportunity to meet film director Maximillan Carey (Lowell Sherman) when she serves him one night. He is very drunk but is charmed by the young girl, and he invites her to a premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Adhering to his policy of living life with a sense of humor, he picks her up in a jalopy rather than a limousine and then gives the parking valet the car as a tip.
Max takes Mary home with him after the event, but the next morning remembers nothing about the previous night. She reminds him he promised her a screen test and expresses concern about his excessive drinking and flippant attitude, but he tells her not to worry.
Mary's first screen test reveals she has far more ambition than talent, and she begs for another chance. After extensive rehearsals, she shoots the scene again, and producer Julius Saxe (Gregory Ratoff) is pleased with the result and signs her to a contract. Just as quickly as Mary achieves stardom, Max finds his career on the decline, and he avoids a romantic relationship with her for fear she will be caught up in his downward spiral.
Mary meets polo player Lonny Borden (Neil Hamilton). He genuinely loves her and, although he is jealous of the demands made on her by her career, he convinces her to marry him, against Julius and Max's better judgment. Lonny becomes increasingly annoyed by the dedication of his movie star wife to her work, and finally walks out on her. After their divorce is finalized, Mary discovers she is pregnant.
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